Super Typhoon Haiyan: Philippines in Path of Destruction

Posted on November 7, 2013

One of the strongest tropical cyclones ever observed is making its way towards the Philippines, causing thousands of people in vulnerable areas to be relocated to safer areas. With sustained winds of 195 mph (315 kph) and gusts up to 235 mph (380 kph), Super Typhoon Haiyan is equivalent to a strong Category 5 hurricane.

Expected to make landfall in the region of Eastern Vasayas on Friday, Haiyan (known as Yolanda in the Philippines) is so large in diameter (about 500 miles), it’s clouds are affecting two-thirds of the country. More than 3,800 people have been evacuated by late Thursday, with more evacuations expected.

President Benigno S. Aquino III warned residents of the “calamity our countrymen will face in these coming days. Let me repeat myself: This is a very real danger, and we can mitigate and lessen its effects if we use the information available to prepare,” he said.

As Haiyan pushes through heavily populated areas in central Philippines, high winds and torrential rain are expected to threaten millions of people. Pagasa, the Philippine weather agency, has warned more than 30 provinces across the country to be prepared for possible landslides and flash floods.

President Benigno Aquino III has ordered officials to aim for zero casualties, a goal often broken in an archipelago lashed by about 20 storms each year, most of them deadly and destructive. Haiyan is the 24th such storm to hit the Philippines this year.